Copy paper feeding device for use with photocopying machine

ABSTRACT

A photocopying machine having an adjustment mechanism for correcting misalignment of the original. Lateral misalignment of the original is corrected by axial movement of a driving belt unit. Longitudinal misalignment of the original is corrected by pivoting movement of the driving belt unit.

United States Patent lnventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Priority COPY PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR USE WITH PHOTOCOPYING MACHINE 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 5/ Int. Cl G03!) 27/20 Yugoro Kobayashi Aug. 27, 1968 Kabushiki Kaisha Ricoh Aug. 31, 1967 [50] Field of Search 355/14, 47,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,425,218 8/ 1947 Worthington 101/248 2,425,914 8/1947 Blackley etal. 101/248 3,280,715 10/ 1966 Corl et a1 355/91 3,413,920 12/1968 Kaneko et a1. 101/248 3,432,236 '3/1969 Vercoulen .1: 355/109 Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Richard M. Sheer Attorney- Burgess; Ryan and Hicks ABSTRACT: A photocopying machine having an adjustment mechanism for correcting misalignment of the original. Lateral misalignment of the original is corrected by axial movement of a driving belt unit. Longitudinal misalignment of the original is corrected by pivoting movement of the driving belt unit.

00000000000O0ll PATENTEnuAnsmi 3578,5351 SHEETIUF-Z ooooooooooll l oooooooo ooooll onooooooooooll ooOOOoQOOQOODOII INVENTOR YucoRo KoaAYAsHi BYfivv'fda' vAlilg/Rgy PATENTEDHAYIBIBYI 3578.861

snmznrz INVENT OR YUGORO KoBAYAsHi @M r A a/4 ATTORNEY COPY PAPER FEEDING DEVICE FOR USE WITH PHOTOCOPYING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a photocopying machine, and more particularly to an automatic photocopying machine of the type wherein the position of an original can be corrected or adjusted from the exterior of the machine.

When an original is circulated within a photocopying machine so as to automatically obtain a desired number of copy papers, the most important factor is to prevent the original from being displaced toward one side of the transportation path and to prevent the leading edge of the original from being inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the direction of the transportation of the original due to the variation of the speeds among the transport belts or due to the ununiform frictional resistance exerting upon the original being transported during the time when the original is circulated in the circulation path. When such things happen, both of the leading and side edges of the original fail to coincide with those of a copy paper when the original is superimposed upon the copy paper at the inlet. Therefore, what has been copied is inclined or misaligned with respect to the center line of the copy paper or when misaligned too much, either of the upper or lower portion and/or either of the lateral portions of the copy paper are not copied at all. These copies are of course useless.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it is posible to make the correction or adjustment of the position of an original in both of the lateral and inclined directions with respect to the direction of the transportation of the original.

The correction or adjustment of the original in the lateral direction with respect to the direction of the transportation thereof can be effected by displacing both of an original'circulation tank and its transport belts in the lateral direction by .tuming a lateral direction adjustment knob. On the other hand, the correction or adjustment of the original in the direction inclined with respect to the direction of the transportation of the original can be effected by an inclination adjustment knob so as to incline the original circulation tank with respect to the direction of the transportation of the original in order to vary the lengths of the transport belts from each other so that the times required for transporting the original are made different at both sides of the original. These correction or adjustment operations can be effected from the exterior of the machine according to the present invention.

Therefore, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a paper feeding device for use with a photocopying machine utilizing simple means so as to effect the correct adjustment of the position of an original.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description when read in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an essential part of an original circulating path of a photocopying machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an essential part of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a mechanism for correcting the lateral misalignment of the original in the course of the circulation thereof according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a mechanism for correcting the misalignment in the longitudinal direction of the original in the course of the circulation thereof; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view thereof.

2 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 illustrates the circulation path of an original in an automatic photocopying machine comprising an exposure cylinder 1, a driving belt 2 for supporting said exposure cylinder 1, a separation tank 3 on which a sensitized paper is automatically separated from the original, a circulation tank 4 disposed adjacent to the separation tank 3, a plurality of transport belts 6 riding over the circulation tank 4 through rollers 5 and a guide plate 7. The exposure cylinder 1 has therein, according to thewell known manner, a light source 8 and a reflecting plate 9 and is rotatably disposed within the driving belt 2 riding thereupon and constituting a loop through rollers 10. The superimposed original and copy paper fed from an inlet 11 are interposed between the exposure cylinder 1 and the belt 2 and transported around the periphery of the cylinder I so as to expose the photosensitive copy paper. Thereafter, the sensitized copy paper and the original are advanced upwardly from the rear portion of the cylinder 1. A

separation pawl 12 separates the superimposed original and copy paper from the cylinder, the leading end of the separation pawl 12 being pressed against the peripheral surface of the exposure cylinder 1. The original and the sensitized copy paper are then automatically separated from each other by the vacuum action of the separation tank 3. The separated sensitized copy paper is advanced to a developing mechanism by means of a guide member not shown. After having been developed, the copy paper is discharged out into a receiving platform or stand exterior to the photocopying machine. On the other hand, the automatically separated original is advanced toward the circulation tank 4 by means of the transport belts 6 riding over the separation tank 3. The circulation tank 4 which is disposed upwardly of an original feeding platform or stand 13 disposed forwardly of the photocopying machine is supported by means of shafts 16 and 17 which are extending through the sidewalls l4 and 15 of the photocopying machine respectively as shown in FIG. 2.

Both of the shafts l6 and 17 are provided with shafts l8 and I9 extending outwardly of the photocopying machine respectively each for correcting the lateral and longitudinal misalignment of the original. The above-described correcting or adjusting shafts l8 and 19 are rotatably journaled to the sidewalls 14 and I5 respectively of thephotocopying machine and are provided with outwardly threaded portions 18a and 190 respectively which in turn are threadably engaged with a nut 23 (See FIGS. 4 and 5) and the above-described shaft 17 (See FIGS. 6 and 7) respectively.

The shaft I6 journaled to the left sidewall of' the tank 4 is provided with a misalignment correcting or adjusting mechanism shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. At the extreme end of the shaft 16 whose base portion is securely fixed to the wall of the tank 4 a groove 16a is provided in the diametrical direction of the shaft 16. Into this groove 16a is fitted one end 21a of one arm of an L-shaped rocking lever 21 pivoted to a short shaft 20 which in turn is interposed between a pair of uprightly extending members and 14b both of which are riveted to the sidewall 14. Therefore, the rocking motion of the rocking lever 21 is transmitted to the shaft 16 through a pin 22 extending through the end 21a of the arm of the bshaped rocking lever 21. The other end 21b of the L-shaped rocking lever 21 is positioned by means of a pin 24 in a groove 23a of the nut 23 threadably engaged with the above-described threaded portion 180. Therefore, by turning in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction a knob 18b (See FIGS. 2 and 3) attached at the end of the shaft 18 extending outwardly of the machine, the nut 23 is moved forwardly or backwardly in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 18 so that the rocking lever 21 is rocked about the shaft or pivot 20. This rocking motion causes the shaft 16 of the tank 4 to move in the axial direction of the shaft 16 so that the circulation tank 4 is caused to be displaced in the lateral direction with respect to the direction of the transportation of the original.

On the other hand, the shaft 17 securely fixed to the right sidewall of the tank 4 is provided with a misalignment correcting or adjusting mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 and-7. The shaft 17 is extending outwardly of the sidewall through an elongated hole 15a provided therein. The inwardly threaded portions of the shaft 17 are threadably engaged with the above described outwardly threaded portion 190 of the shaft 19. At the free end of the threaded portion 19a is threadably screwed a nut 25. At the other end of the shaft 19 remote from the threaded portion 190 is provided a knob 19b (See FIGS. 2 and 3). Therefore, by rotating this knob 19b in the clockwise or counterclockwise direction in H0. 3, the shaft 17 of the tank 4 is caused to move forwardly or backwardly along the axial direction of the shaft 19. When the shaft 17 is moved forwardly or backwardly as described above, then the tank 4 is caused to rock about the shaft 16 so that the length of the transport belts 6 riding over the periphery of the tank 4 are varied from each other, whereby the misalignment of the original in the longitudinal direction can be corrected or adjusted. I

The original which is advanced over the circulation tank 4 having the construction described hereinabove is forwarded to the inlet 11 by means of the transport belts 6 along the periphery of the tank 4. Then, at the inlet 11 the original is superimposed upon a copy paper fed from a sensitive copy paper feeding device 26, and thus superimposed original and copy paper are transported to the exposure cylinder 1.

A microswitch 27 in FIG. 1 is closed by the leading edge of the original, when the original is first fed from the feeding platform or stand 13, so as to actuate the photosensitive copy paper feeding device. Thereafter, the copy paper feeding device is actuated by another microswitch 28 which is disposed at a suitable position in the circulation tank 4.

The present invention has been described in detail withparticular reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereabove and defined in the appended claim.

lclaim:

l. A photocopymachine of the type wherein an original is circulated through the machine after being exposed and superimposed upon a copy paper, comprising:

a circulation tank supported within the machine by a first shaft on one side and a second shaft on the other side;

a plurality of driving belts passing around said tank and adapted to convey said original through the machine after exposure;

adjustment means to correct misalignment of said original including I a first means comprising a pivotal element connected at one end to said first shaft and at the other end to a first actuating means whereby actuation thereof pivots said element to axially move said first shaft and connected circulation tank to correct lateral misalignment of said original,

a second means comprising a portion connected at one end to said second shaft and at the other end to a second actuating means whereby actuation thereof pivots said circulation tank about said first shaft to correct longitudinal misalignment of said original.

2. A photocopy machine according to claim 1, in which said pivoting element of said first means comprises an L-shaped lever having one leg fixed to said first shaft, its pivot point fixed with respect to the machine, and the other leg fixed to said first actuating means which is in the from of a first manually operable rod that selectively effects movement of said second leg.

3. A photocopy machine according to claim 1, in which said second actuating means is in the form of a second manually operable rod that selectively raises and lowers said second means portion. 

1. A photocopy machine of the type wherein an original is circulated through the machine after being exposed and superimposed upon a copy paper, comprising: a circulation tank supported within the machine by a first shaft on one side and a second shaft on the other side; a plurality of driving belts passing around said tank and adapted to convey said original through the machine after exposure; adjustment means to correct misalignment of said original including a first means comprising a pivotal element connected at one end to said first shaft and at the other end to a first actuating means whereby actuation thereof pivots said element to axially move said first shaft and connected circulation tank to correct lateral misalIgnment of said original, a second means comprising a portion connected at one end to said second shaft and at the other end to a second actuating means whereby actuation thereof pivots said circulation tank about said first shaft to correct longitudinal misalignment of said original.
 2. A photocopy machine according to claim 1, in which said pivoting element of said first means comprises an L-shaped lever having one leg fixed to said first shaft, its pivot point fixed with respect to the machine, and the other leg fixed to said first actuating means which is in the from of a first manually operable rod that selectively effects movement of said second leg.
 3. A photocopy machine according to claim 1, in which said second actuating means is in the form of a second manually operable rod that selectively raises and lowers said second means portion. 